Janin

Janin, JULES GABRIEL, French critic and novelist, was born at St Etienne, December 24, 1804, and had his education there and at Paris. He took early to journalism, writing for the Figaro, the Quotidienne, and the Journal des Débats, and his dramatic criticisms in the last-named journal made him a reputation by their wit and vivacity. Janin wrote with fatal fluency, and his numberless articles, prefaces, books of travel, and miscellaneous pieces of task-work pleased his readers and filled his pockets, but did nothing for a future fame. But the 'prince of critics' wrote gaily for the present, lacking the instinct of perpetuity. Yet twice he came near to writing things which the world will not willingly let die. His strange and at least half-serious story L'Ane mort et la Femme guillotinée (1829) was followed by Barnave (1831), an interesting book, half-historical novel, half polemic against the Orleans family. Janin succeeded to Sainte-Beuve's chair in the French Academy in 1870, and died 19th June 1874. His Œuvres Choisies, in twelve volumes, appeared in 1875-78, and his Correspondance was published in 1877.